Cushioning device for cutter bars



May 12, 1925. H. F. LEUCK CUSHIONING DEVICE F'QR CUTTER BARS Filed Jan.13, 1925 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESS:

Patented May 1925.

UNITED STATES nusnar r. LEUCK, or rinses, NEBRASKA.

CUSI-IIONINfi DEVICE FOR- CUTTEB Application filed lanuary 13,1925.Serial No. 2,194.

To all whom it may concern.- M

Be it known that I, Honnnr F. LEUCK, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Pil ger, in the county ofStanton and State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful 1111-provements in Cushioning Devices for Cutter Bars, of which the followingis a specilication.

This invention relates to pitmen or connecting rods and has for anobject thepro- I vision of a pitman which lncludes a yleld able and adustable section for the purpose of taking up shock and. ar incident tothe operation of the pitman and for adjusting the yieldable means of thesaid section to regulate the degree of the yield, as well as toaccurately regulate the length of the pitman, the invention beingespecially adapted for use on mowing machines.

Briefly stated, the primary object of the invention is the provision ofmeans included in pitmen or connecting rods for cutter bars of mowingmachines, which will take up shock and ar usually present in the operation of the cutter bar so as to reduce wear upon the operating parts andprovide a smooth operating sickle.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention further includesthe following novel features and details of construction, to behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of the sickle of amowing machine with the invention applied.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a section on the line8-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4t is a longitudinal sectional view at right angles to Figure 3,the section being taken substantially on the line 4. 1 oi.

Figure 2.

Figure is an enlarged transverse section. on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a similar view on the line 6'-G of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the socketed members ofthe coupling. i I

Figure 8 is a similar view of the nut lock for the socketed members.

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like characters of referencedenote corresponding parts, the reference character tions' 13.

10 indicates a portion of the cutter bar of a mowing machine sickle,while 11 indicates the ball member of the ordinary universai couplingusually employed for con necting the end o-it'the pitman or connectingrod 12 to the cutter bar.

As is well known, the pitman is connected. to the cutter bar so that thelatter willhave arec'iprocatory movement during the op;

eration of the sickle and ordinarily considerable shock [and isexperienced at each end of the cutter bar stroke "so that considerablewear and tear is imparted to the operating parts of the machine.

The shock or jar is eliminated or materially reduced by means of thepresent invention which provides a yieldable connection between thepitman and cutter bar, and for this purpose the coupling member whichengages the ball 11 is of sectional forma tion and includes a pair orelongatedsec- The sections 13 are provided at one end andin theiropposed faces with sockets 14' for the reception ofthe ball 11,

while at the opposite end of one of these"sec tions is a right angularlydisposed U-shaped extension defining spaced lugs 15. These lugs aredesigned to enter oppositely located notches 17 provided in the othersocketed section 13 in which position the sections 18 will be heldagainst relative longitudinal movement. This arrangement also providesan opening for the passage of a bolt 16 having at one end a squared head17 the inner end of which bears against the adjacent faces of the lugs15. A; bolt 18 connects the sections 13 and serves to hold the latter inproper engagement with the ball 11 and in addition serves to provide astop for the head 17'. I

Mounted upon the bolt18' is a nut 19 and also mounted upon this boltbetween this nut and the adjacent face of one'of the sections 13 is alock washer-20, the opposed faces of the washer and nut beingv providedwith ratchet teeth 21 so as to form an adjustable ofthe bolt 18, so thata lock is provided for the nut 19.

Secured to the end of the pitman rod 12 is a substantially U-shaped yoke24 having an opening 25 therein-tor the passage of the bolt 16 The bolt16 has a threaded engageinent between the'yoke and nut 26 is pro--vided, but relative rotary movement prevented. Mounted upon .the bolt 16"between the nut 26 and the adjacent end of the yoke 24 is a coiledspring 28, a similar spring 29 being mounted upon the bolt 16 betweenthe end '01 the yoke .24 an d the 5 en d of the anem- .bcrs lg ofthecoupl'ing. A yieldableconnecftion bel'l-iueen the cutter bar '10 and thepitvn-i-an rod 121is thus provided, while by'adjustin-g the bolt1'6within the nut 26 the ten sion. of the springs 28 and :29 may beregulated so as to control the operation of this yielda-ble connection.This adjustment also provides .means whereby the length of :the pitmanmay be accurately regulated.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportionsand minor details ofconstruction and the right is herein reserved tomake such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended.claims.

Having claimed is p v 31., In a pit-man, a nod, a coupling member, ayoke secured to one end of the rod and -prnwsiidetl with an opening,axcoupling membei iabolt having one end engaged in the coupling memberand its opposite end :ex-

tending through-the epeningof the yoke, a

spring surrounding the bolt between the coudescribed the invention whatistween the'endof the yoke and the adjusting nut.

2. In a sickle, the combination with a cuttor-bar provided with a ballcoupling 1110111- ber, a connecting rod, a bolt yieldingly and adustably secured to SdlClI'OCl and a socketcd coupling member carried bythe bolt, said bolt carried coupling member compr issing :a pair ot-sections arranged in parallel spaced relation and provided withopposed sockets, at one 'of' their ends, the opposite .endotoneeof saidsections having oppositely located notches therein, right angularlyarranged spaced lugs extending trom the adacent end of the other sectionand receivtable in said notches to hold the sections "agaanst relativelongitudinal movement and orovi'di-n an-o enin for the assa e of the r bb D shank-of the-above mentioned bolt and holding the latter againstmovement -in one direction, a bolt extending transversely .HUBEBT'LEUOK.

